Botanical classification: Spirea japonica. 
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spirea, a deciduous ornamental. The new cultivar is known botanically as Spirea japonica and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99.
The breeding for a Spirea with gold leaves and white flowers began in 1993 in Hampshire, England when the inventor crossed the female parent Spirea japonica var. albiflora with the male parent Spirea japonica xe2x80x98Candlelightxe2x80x99 (unpatented). The resultant seedlings flowered in 1994 and because none of the yellow-leaved seedlings exhibited white flowers, a yellow seedling was selected and used as the female parent and crossed with the male parent Spirea japonica var. albiflora. As a result of this cross several seedlings were produced which had gold leaves and white flowers. When these seedlings were developed and flowering freely, a final selection was made. xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 was selected by the inventor in 1996.
The distinguishing characteristics of xe2x80x98White goldxe2x80x99 are hardiness, compact habit, diminutive cream-white flowers and golden yellow-green foliage. xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 is distinguishable from all other cultivars of Spirea japonica by its cream-white flowers. The inventor has no knowledge of any other cultivars of Spirea japonica which combine golden foliage with cream-white flowers. All other golden-foliaged cultivars of Spirea japonica known to the inventor exhibit pink or mauve colored flowers.
xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 was first asexually propagated by the inventor in Hampshire, United Kingdom in 1996 using softwood cuttings. Since that time, under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics have been determined stable and uniform in successive generations.
The following represent the distinguishing characteristics of the new Spirea cultivar xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99. In combination these traits set xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 apart from all other existing varieties of Spirea known to the inventor. xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype.
1. Spirea xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 exhibits dense clusters of cream-white flowers in summer.
2. Spirea xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 is 75 cm. in height and 75 cm. in width.
3. Spirea xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 exhibits golden yellow-green foliage.
4. Spirea xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 is winter hardy.
5. Spirea xe2x80x98White Goldxe2x80x99 exhibits a compact habit.